Electric hand lantern



Allg. 16, 1932. Q H LARSON 1,872,305

ELECTRI C HAND LANTERN Filed Oct. 27, 1930 Patented Aug. 16, 1932 UNITED STATES vPATENToFl-iclaz CARL H LARSON, F ELKHART, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO, THE ADLAKE COMPNY, .A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS ELECTRIC HAND LANTEBN This invention relates to improvements in electric hand lanterns, and has for its objects to produce a lantern having a strong weathertight casing, a minimum number of parts, a dust and grit tight enclosure, and having a simplicity of construction and a surety of operation which will adapt the lantern'to the rigid standards of railway signal equipment.

rlhese and other objects and` advantages of the invention will appear from the f ollowing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 isan elevation of the lantern;

Fig. 2 is a. sectional elevation of a portion of the lantern as indicated by the lines 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the lantern looking into the interior of the casing, from which the battery has been removed, as mdlcated by the lines 3 3 of Fig. 4; i

Fig. 4 is a vertical elevation of a portion of the lantern at right angles to the vlew shown in Fig. 2, as illustrated by the line 4 4 of Fig. 2; n

Fig. 5 is a. top plan view of the portion of the lantern below the line 5 5 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of that portion of the lantern above the line 6 6 of Fig. 4.

The lantern, generally indicated by the reference numeral 10, is composed of a casing 11, a base 12, a removable cover 13 and a looped handle 14. The-handle is attached to the casing by means of the trunnions 15 and 16. The base, as is illustrated, comprises a bottom ring 17, preferably having a larger diameter than the casing 11 in order to afford better protection for the lamps. Legs 18, 18 engage the base rring and support an upper casing engaging ring 19.

In Fig. 2, it will be seen that lthe casing 11 preferably is formed to have an integral bottom 21. The casing may, if desired, have a locating bead 22 rolled around its circumference.

Electrical connections with the battery 23 are formed by the engagement of its spring contact 24 with the bottom 21 and the engagement of its 'central spring contact '25 with a contact stud 26 which projects through the closed end of the casing and is insulated therefrom.' The insulating'means comprises a disk 27 of some acceptable insulating material, and a spacing washer 28 which prevents contact between the shank 29 of the stud 26 and the bottom 21'. Two disks of insulating material, 31 and 32 are maintained against the outer surface oi the botttom 21 by the rivetting over of the shank '29 and by the rivet 33. The outer of the two disks bears a laterally extending contact strip 34 which is electrically connected to the stud 26. The strip may be held upon the outer disk 32 by means of the countersunk rivets 35, 35. The up er disk 31 prevents the heads of these rivets rom contacting with the bottom 21 of the casing.

In Figs. 2 and 4, it will be seen that the engaging ring 19 of the base is turned inwardly at 36 to form a circumferential lip and that this lip engages a flange 37 ofv a socket sup ort 38. Preferably this element performs the function of a reflector in which case, it is desirable that it be circular as shown and that its outer surface be plated and polished. The support 28 isfree to oscillate through a limited arc turned by the `handles 39, 39.

As indicated on Fig. 5, a small segment 41 of the' iange37 is cut away leaving two shoulders 42, 43 whichhit against the stop pin 44. Lamp sockets 45 are attached to the support 38 by any suitable means and are here shown as soldered to it. The sockets comprise a. metal shell 46 over which is fitted a spacing collar 47. The lower portion 48 of the shell is threaded to receive a lam base while the upper portion 49 is counter ored. A small insulating washer 51 is seated upon the shoulder formed between the counterbore and threaded portion, and an inverted insulating cup 52 lines the counterbore. A spring pressed plunger 53 projects thru an aperture in the base of the cup, while a shorter plunger 54 having a lateral flange seated on the washer 51 is urged outwardly in the opposite direction by means of the spring 55 to engage the central terminal of the lamp base.

Depressions 56 are formed in the contact and may be strip 34 and other depressions 57 57 are formed in the insulating disk 29. Ilungers 53, 53engage these depressions alternatively and, consequently, lock the switch 1n its on or olf position.

The screws 58 may hold the legs 18 onto the engaging ring 19 as well as anchor the casing to the ring 19 or the legs may be permanently attached to theH rlng and a clearance hole through the thickness of the rmg and leg be provided for the screw. In either ease, it is preferable to reinforce the casmg with some extra thickness 'of metal at the points 59, 59 to provide suiicient engagement for the screw threads.

As the handles 39 are pushed horizontally, the support 38 turns and brings either one or the other of the spring pressed plungers 53 into engagement with the contact strlp 34, which causes its respective lamp 61 to light. In the other position, both of the plungers 53 engage the depressions 57. l

The demands of railway practice, for which this lamp was designed, require that a lamp be always held in readin-ess in case of.

a failure of the bulb being used. The mechanism here shown makes it possible to switch instantly from one lampcto the other. It is, however, to be understood thatI the presence of two lamps is not the essence of the invention, but that the switch mechanism is equally adaptable whether one or a multiplicity of lamps be required. A

It is thus to be seen that I have produced a very rugged, dirt and dust tight lantern which has extreme mechanical simplicity and has no slot or opening into the battery casing or switch mechanism through which dirt and cinders might be forced to interfere with the operation of the device.

What I claim, therefore, is:

1. In an electric lantern, a casin for a battery having a central insulated attery contact and a lateral grounded Contact, a battery, a base, a support having a portion engaged by the base and having turning movement relative thereto when the parts are assembled, a lamp socket carried by the support having its shell in electrical connection with the casing, a central contact on the socket, a contact strip upon the casing in electrical connection with the central battery terminal therein, and means causing the contact strip and the central socket contact to enga e upon the relative rotative movement of t e support and the casing.

2. In an electric lantern, a battery casing, a base having an upper portion engaging the casing, a reflector rotatably maintained within the upper portion of the base, an electric socket depending from the refiector and provided with two contact elements, one of its contact elements being electrically connected thereto, an insulated contact strip maintained upon the casing, a battery having one terminal electrically connected to the strip and the second to the casing, and means to rotate the reflector, whereby the second contact element of said socket may be engaged with and disengaged from said contact strip.

3. An electric lantern having a base, a casing having a permanently closed end telescoping into the base from above and adapted to receive a battery, an insulated contact upon the casing end and adapted to engage the central terminal of the battery, means for engaging the lateral terminal of the battery with the casing, a rcliector bearing a lamp socket, and oscillatably maintained between the base and the casing, and an insulated contact strip upon the outer face of the end of the casing and in electrical communication with the central terminal and adapted to engage the central terminal of the lamp socket upon the turning of the reflector.

4. In an electric lantern in combination, a casing for a battery and having a carrying bail and a depending guard frame and support, a battery within the casing and having one pole connected therewith, an oscillatable metal plate below the casing and supported thereby and being in electrical communication therewith, a depending lamp socket carried by the plate and electrically connected therewith and being located awayfrom the center thereof, a spring contact element proj ecting upwardly from the socket, and a fixed conductor arranged for connection with the other pole of the battery and projecting into the path of the named socket contact element.

5. In an electric lantern, the combination of a battery casing of conductive material having a permanently closed bottom, said casing being in electrical connection with one terminal of the battery, an insulated contact on the inner surface of the easing bottom electrically connected to the other terminal of the battery, a lamp having one terminal electrically connected with the casing and movable relative to the casing to bring the other terminal into electrical connection with the insulated contact, and a skeleton base for supporting the casing in an upright position.

6. In an electrical lantern, the combination of a battery casing having a permanently closedl bottom, a battery having one terminal in contact with the casing, a contact for engaging the other terminal of the battery mounted on the inner surface of the casing bottom but insulated therefrom, a reflector bearing a lam rotatably mounted beneath the casing, a s eleton base mounted on the casing to support the latter in an upright positlon, an means causing a circuit to be established through the lamp by rotation of the reflector.

7. In an electric lantern, the combination of a metallic battery casing having a permanently closed bottom, a central contact member fixed to but insulated from the inside of minal of the battery being ada ted to contact with the casing an insulate contact, strip upon the outer ace of the casing bottom in electrical connection with the central contact member, a lamp support including a lamp socket rotatabl mounted below the casing, said lamp soc et bein in electrical communication with the casln Athrou h the lamp support, a lamp in the soc et, and means for completin a circuit through the lamp by rotation o the 1am support.

8. In an electric antern, the combination of a cu -shaped metallic casing adapted to remova ly contain a battery, an insulated contact permanently fixed to the inner face of the casin bottom and adapted to engage one termina of the battery, the other terminal of the battery being 1n electrical communication with the metallic casing an insulated contact strip permanently izixed to the under side of the casing bottom, means for rotatably mounting a lamp on the under side of the casin having one terminal in constant electrica communication with the casing, said lamp being so arranged with respect to the insulated contact strip on the outer face of the casing bottom that the other terminal of the -lamp may be brou ht in and out of electrical connection with t e contact strip by rotation of said mounting means.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

CARL H. LARSON. 

